Phytoremediation of a lead contaminated soil: assisted approach by EDTA and native bacteria

Phytoextraction represents an ecological and cost-effective way to remove non-biodegradable pollutants, such as heavy metals, from contaminated soils and thus, stands for one of the most attractive in situ plant-based technology. Lead (Pb) is one of the most common metal pollutants in soil. It is usually concentrated in surface layers of soil with only a slight portion of the total metal found in solution. To increase bioavailability and therefore, the uptake and translocation of metals into plants, the addition of chelating agents has been extensively used in phytoextraction, and some organic acids are particularly effective in increasing metals solubility.